1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to a new and improved artificial fishing lure having a front blade, a central body, and a trailing hook, and to a method of making this new lure.
2. The Prior Art
The closest known prior art is an artificial fishing lure sold under the trademark "ARBOGAST JITTERBUG." This lure is cataloged by and/or found in most fishing tackle retailers. This particular lure is marked "PATENT NOS. 2207425."
This particular lure has an elongate buoyant body typically painted in green frog colors, a front blade that is wider than it is long and with two opposed wings, one blade wing extends out on each side of the body, the front of the blade is concave, and one or more hooks are moveably attached to the bottom of the body. The lure typically has two treble hooks hung on a forward and a back hook holder. The blade has an eye in its upper front end for securement to a fishing line. This lure has been commercially and sportingly successful for about 40 years.
The JITTERBUG is typically used for fishing bass, northern pike and other surface feeding carnivorous fish. This lure floats on the surface and makes considerable commotion when it is pulled over the water. The lure has significant limitations, however. It does not troll well. It tends to foul when casted because the hooks tangle on the retrieval line. It tends to catch cattails, lily pods and other surface weeds. It does not throw far when casted. It will not sink and is a surface lure only. When this lure is overthrown onto the bank, it snags trees, branches, brush and so forth. This lure snags on logs and tree falls in the water. This lure will not effectively pull a plastic worm pork rind or the like. The JITTERBUG is generally effective only in shallow water and only during smooth water conditions.
Typical prior art deep lures, i.e., non-buoyant sinking lures are called "JIGS" and typically have a lead body molded onto a hook adjacent the hook eye. There are all kinds of jigs. One of the biggest problems with jigs is that they have little or no "action." Jigs cast well and good distances and accuracy are attainable. Jigs also tend to foul in tree branches, snags, rocks, and the like. The typical jig deadfalls in water and hits the bottom randomly. The hook may point up, down or sideways when a typical jig falls to the bottom. Jigs do not pick up off the bottom when pulled, and snag on bottom objects. Jigs are a bottom bait and are not useable for surface fishing. Jigs also tend to foul when thrown into brush. The jig lure tends to wrap around a tree branch and tie the lure to the tree. As of this date, there is no known jig being commercialized which provides a good swimming motion.
The 1991 catalog from CABELA'S, 812 13th Ave., Sidney, NB 69160 has "walking jig systems" shown and described on page 39, that is represented to walk along the bottom and be snagfree. A "walleye swimming jig" on page 42 is represented to have a swimming action. Page 74 of this catalog has a recap on various jig styles, and shows and discusses "wabble head," "standup," "swimming," and "walking" jigs.
The Great American Fishing Company, PO Box 3410, Sioux City, IA 51102 has and offers an artificial lure they call the "WIGLY CRAWLER," under the "LAZY IKE" trademark. This lure has a bent metal blade which is affixed to a single hook by what looks to be a lead rivet. This lure has a trailing hook worm attached to an aft end of the main hook. This lure has no weedless structure or function, and its hook sits on the bottom while the blade projects up. This lure also tends to foul when being casted. When this lure sits on the bottom, it is motionless.
Being a tournament fisherman for many years, I had come to the conclusion that I and other fishermen (and women) wanted and needed a single lure that could be fished almost anywhere, with success in catching fish. I wanted a weedless lure that could be fished in lily pads, reed patches and in and around fallen logs and brush. I also wanted this lure to be able to effectively fish rocky bottom areas, and rip-rap, this lure also needs to be weedless in shallow, mid-depth, and deep weeds. I also wanted and needed a lure that will entice a fish to strike it; in my opinion this requires a very strong swimming action at all retrieval speeds, be it slow, fast, or in between. The lure must also retrieve at a great variation in speeds without tipping on its side, or rolling over. This lure also must be usable as a shallow water "buzz bait" style, as a normal mid-depth lure, and a bottom "crank bait" style of operation. I have also realized that it is highly deniable for this lure to stand upright when it is on the bottom.